Only Hope
by Alantie Mistaniu
Summary: Collection of Takari oneshots.
1. Night Terror

AN: This is my first attempt at writing Digimon fanfiction, so we'll see how I do. And yes, I'm using the dub names since that's what I grew up with, so my appologies if that bothers you. I decided to do a challenge since I was a little down with not being able to find many Takari fics I enjoyed. I snagged the themes from a LJ community, but whether or not I'll do all 500 is still in the air. I hope anyone who reads will enjoy!

**Night Terror**

She woke up in the night, eyes wide, hand clamped over her mouth to hold in the terrified shrieks that fought to escape her clenched fingers. She can't scream, she can't cry out. She'd done it too many times these past few nights, and each time Tai came bolting to her room, concern flashing in his eyes, frustration flooding him because of the demons he couldn't fight for her. She regretted having to tell him, but after all the incidents in the past he deserved to know, not to mention that TK had walked her home and had essentially made it clear that if she wouldn't tell her brother he would.

As she calmed, her eyes wandered over the familiar sights of her room, grateful that there was no haunting glitter of water, Gatomon's furry white bulk a soothing comfort against her side. A small smile twitched her lips, and she ran a gentle hand down the creature's side, earning a sleepy purr. Her other hand dropped from her lips, a thin shaky breath the only sound that escaped her, the screams swallowed into silence.

Sleep would not return so easily, she knew, and though she didn't want to wake Tai or her digimon partner, she needed to talk to someone. A hand slipped beneath her pillow and pulled out her D-Terminal, opening up the message system to quickly send a message, hoping that somehow that he'd be awake to answer.

_Are you awake?_

Her mouth curved into a small smile; who needed a cell phone when they had these? A few moments passed before it beeped, a new message icon popping up.

_Yup. Woke up because Patamon snores too loud. What's up?_

A small giggle escaped her before she became solemn once again. She hesitated only a moment before responding.

_Had another nightmare. I didn't want to wake Tai or Gatomon, hoped you would be awake. Just needed to talk to someone._

_About the ocean?_

His response came quickly, and she could almost see him in her mind's eye in his own bed, Patamon curled up on his pillow. It was funny how well she could tell how he was feeling with just a few words, the worry and fear he had for her, but all she could type was one word.

_Yeah._

There was a longer pause between the message, before he messaged again.

_Do you want to talk about it?_

_Not much to say. It's always the same._

She exhaled, banishing the monochrome images of dark rippling water and red creeping creatures from her mind when the soft beep of his reply reached her.

_Do you want me to come over?_

Her mouth trembled, eyes welling with tears at the compassion and concern he could convey with such a simple message.

_Thanks, but you better not, too late for that._

_I don't care how late it is; if you need me I would come. You know, right?_

_I know. You're doing enough just being awake and here for me. I think I'm going to try and get back to sleep now. Thank you._

She scrubbed at her face and exhaled softly, preparing to shut the D-Terminal when it beeped one last time. It was a short message, but it was enough to make a flush rise in her cheeks, all thoughts of night terror driven away.

_Heart_

A few blocks away, TK grinned slightly, his blue eyes lighting up at the return message.

_Heart U 2._

-End A/N: Since won't let me use the online symbol for a heart, I had to use the word instead, but hopefully it still conveys the feeling I was attempting to capture.


	2. Meeting

AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! I'm glad you all liked it, and I hope this one will be as good. Reviews are appreciated!

**Meeting**

TK hadn't need to be a grown up kid like the others to know Tai's little sister Kari was special. Their meeting on the faithful day when Myotismon had captured her had not been the first time he had met the small brunette with the cheerful smile and a radiant light in her eyes. He could still remember the way he had first seen her, how he would always see her. Matt would tease him years later about his memories being childish, that he saw Kari as the little girl with a whistle instead of the woman she was becoming, but TK knew that the girl and the woman were the same at the heart, and it was through his own young eyes that he had first seen that.

Their older brothers were friends, and one day when the two were meeting to play soccer, both boys had to bring their younger siblings along. Matt had worried that his brother would not want to play with an 'icky' girl. TK had only ever played with him or other small boys in their neighborhood and Matt was unsure as to how he would react to a little girl. The whole way to the park, his older brother had lectured him, a nervous edge to his voice.

"TK, promise me you'll be nice?"

The small blond pouted, folding his arms across his chest. "I'm always nice!" he exclaimed heatedly.

"I know, I know, you are. But girls are different than boys, so even if she wants to do something weird or . . . girly, you need to be nice. Tai will kill me if you make his little sister cry."

Eyes widening, TK stared at his brother, alarmed. "Kill you?" he squeaked.

Realizing TK had taken his words literally, Matt hastened to reassure the younger boy. "No, no, not really kill me, probably just hit me or something, don't worry. But really, try to be nice?"

Bewildered, TK nodded wordlessly, reaching up to grab Matt's hand in a tight grip, and continued to cling to him as they waited in the park for the Kamiya siblings to join them. A cheerful voice calling Matt's name announced their arrival, and TK had watched cautiously from behind his brother as the two approached, barely able to see the small girl holding onto Tai's hand as she peeped out at him, a silver whistle in her mouth.

"Sorry we're late," Tai said, lifting the black and white ball he'd been holding tucked under his free arm. "Couldn't find the ball. You ready to play?"

Matt nodded, and pulled TK out from behind him, giving him a little push towards the chocolate eyed girl who was watching silently. "Kari, this is my little brother, Takeru, but call him TK. TK, this is Kari." He gave the TK a smile, his eyes still worried. "You two have fun, but stay where we can see you, ok?"

"Right, you too, Kari. Have fun, ok?" Tai detached himself from his sister, ignoring her three short whistles of alarm. "Kari- for goodness sakes, please don't whistle, TK won't be able to understand you if you don't talk to him!"

The two kids watched their brothers take off, already kicking the ball enthusiastically between them before glancing warily at each other. Kari, despite her brother's instructions, still had the shiny whistle in her mouth, the sunlight glittering along its smooth silver shape and gave a small questioning blow on it as she looked at TK.

"Um. . ." TK hesitated as he looked at her, wondering what girls liked to do for play, deciding against the monkey bars and teeter totter and instead his eyes fell on the sandbox. "D'you wanna build a castle or something?" he asked her, wondering if girls didn't like getting dirty, hoping this wasn't something that would make Tai hit his big brother.

But Kari's eyes lit up and she grabbed his hand, giving an enthusiastic whistle he took as a yes, happily tugging him in the direction of the sandbox, and he was quick to follow. It wasn't long until they had not only a castle, but an entire village of sand carefully shaped and decorated with leaves, twigs, and stones. Kari had produced a handful of tiny people figurines from her pockets to be the inhabitants, while TK contributed a small pile of army men from his own pocket. The boy chattered easily as they played, somehow finding Kari's whistles to be easier and easier to understand as the afternoon wore on, the shadows lengthening and the other people began to slowly leave the park until it seemed it was just him, her, and their older brothers.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered why Matt had been so worried about him getting along with her; she wasn't weird – well, speaking through a whistle _was_ a little odd, but he could overlook that- or prissy like he'd been expecting. She was bright and kind, her eyes shining whenever he made her laugh. He didn't really understand why Tai had been so concerned about him not being able to understand her whistle speech; even without her saying anything at all, her reactions and genuine happiness were more than anything that could be conveyed through words. He understood her, and felt quite confidently that she understood him whether or not either of them were actually speaking or just giggling hysterically as they watched a group of kids trying to climb over each other in order to go down the slide first. There was a connection there, one of the rare chance encounters where you met someone with whom there was an instant bond.

There was something about this little girl he liked very much and found himself drawn to, a kind of luminosity and goodness that was like the feeling he got when his Mommy hugged him or when Matt praised him for something he'd done well. She just made him feel good, and when the two older boys came to collect them to go home, TK was truly sad to see her go.

"You two have fun?" Matt asked cautiously, resting a hand on TK's shoulder.

He nodded quietly, eyes on Kari as Tai helped her out of the sandbox and brushed her off. "Yeah, we did. She's fun." Blinking, his sapphire eyes flicked up to meet the same shade of blue. "Can we play again some time?"

For a moment his older brother seemed startled, then grinned, looking relieved. "Sure, I don't see why not. Right, Tai?"

Tai straightened, Kari's small fingers curled around his hand, and nodded. "Yeah, why not? Kari, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" Her dark head bobbed enthusiastically as she gave a few cheerful blows on her whistle, and her brother smiled affectionately. "Good game, Matt! I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow then?"

"Sure thing. C'mon TK, we better get home before it gets dark."

"Ok," TK said with slight reluctance, glancing back to wave. "Bye Kari, bye Tai."

"Bye!" Tai returned with a wave.

Kari's small fingers pulled the whistle from her lips, and she smiled, waving back. "Bye, TK!" she called.

Sputtering, Tai stared down at his baby sister in shock, his voice rising indignantly. "How come you're talking to him but whistle at me?" he demanded, glaring at Matt who was attempting to muffle his laughter.

Small shoulders rose and fell in a shrug as the whistle returned to its former place, a playful long note spilling from the whistle to mark their parting. TK couldn't help laughing at Tai's outraged expression, and Kari's chocolate colored eyes twinkled merrily as she winked at him, an expression he couldn't ever forget.

Maybe Matt was right, maybe he still saw Kari the way he did when he first met her through the eyes of a child. But he was pretty sure from the secret glances they shared whenever she teased her brother or whenever they were together in the group and shared some insight or amusement, that she saw him the same way too. He didn't mind that, and he knew she didn't either.


End file.
